Guide for bricklayers&#39; use



May 16, 1933. A. GQLT 1,909,267

GUIDE FOR BRIQKLAYERS USE Filed May 25, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORGUIDE FOR BRICKLAYERS USE Filed May 25. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 10 a Fig.5.

- H, INVENTQR:

9 a 5 Henry II, 5 n 0 9 lo /Jim. l

10 Fig.

Patented May 16,- 1933 UNITED STATES HENRY A. GOLT, or WILMINGTON,DELAWARE GUIDE FOR BRICKLAYEBS USE Application filed May 23,

My invention relates to guiding means for use by bricklayers in theerection of walls in the construction of buildings, and moreparticularly t means for use in the laying of brick at the corners of abuilding and for carrying adjustable aligning members and the usualguide line which may be supported by freely adjustable members.

One object of my invention is to provide simple and efiicient guidingmeans including anv angular corner abutment, a vertical standardprojecting upwardly from the same, a plurality of aligning devicesvertically adjustable on the standard; said aligning devices carryingreel supports for a guide line,

and a pair of levels at right angles to each other mounted in a capdetachably secured to the upper end of the standard.

A further object of myv invention is to pro- Vide the standard withguide marks to indicate the level of the courses with reference tojoints of difierent-width;

These and other featuresof my invention are more fully describedherein-after; referenc'ebeing hadto the accompanying drawins, in which:higure 1 is a perspective View of my 1mproved guiding device in positionwith respect to a wall corner.

Fig. 2 is anelevation of the guiding means looking in the directionindicated by the arrow at, Fig. 1.

Fig; 3' is a plan view of the guiding means.

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of one of the adjustable guide linesupports, and

Fig. 5' is a view illustrating a detail of my invention. 3

In the drawings 1 indicates an angular corner abutment and basecomprising the integral Wings 1 1, set at right angles to each other todefine a right angled corner. These wings may be provided with a narrowweb I 1 across the inner part of the corner at the bottom of said base;such web being designed to fit between courses of brick and serve asarsupport as the guide is raised during the progress of erecting thewall. The height of the angular abutment or base is purely arbitrary andwhile its upper edge is truly 7 horizontal it is not intended as a guidefor the lower pivotal support may be in the form 1930. Serial No.455,106.

a brick course inasmuch as the height of the courses will vary dependingupon the width of the mortar joints. a V I Surmounting the base 1 andrigidly secured to the same, is a standard 2, preferably circular incross section and truly vertical. These parts are preferably made'ofaluminum' for the sake of lightness, although a brass tube may beemployed for the standard.

. In order that the base 1 may be braced and stayed with respect to thewall" corner, Y I provide the same with adjustable members to engage thewall, which members may be hinged to such base externally of the same. For this'purpose the outer walls of the base are provided with pivotalsupports or hinges, which may include ordinary leaf hinges in dicated at3, and vertically disposed eyes 3 for the reception of pivot pins 3". Ifdesired of an ordinary leaf hinge. Upon the lower hinge connection,whichmay be the pivot pin 3 a sectional bar 4 is mounted; such bar beingextensible and having a pointed projection 5 at its extremeend to fit avertical joint between a pair of bricks, and a pointed projfectionb tofit a'joint between two horizontal courses of brick; such projecti'on 5being disposed substantially in the plane of the web I carried by thebase.

The sectional and extensible bars 4 may be supported' in horizontalposition and at any desired angular position in a horizontal plane, bymeans of angularly disposed braces 6 adj ustably connected at'th'eirupper, ends to the hinges 3 and pivotally connectedat their lower endsto said extensible bars 4. These braces maybe held by thumb nuts4 attheir pivotal connection with the hinges 3 and by thumb nuts 4 at theirpivotal connection with the extensible bars 4. The thumb nuts 4 alsoserve to hold the extensible bars 4 in their adjusted positions; oneportion of such extensible bars having a strapoverlying the otherportion and being slotted for the reception of the threaded studcarrying the thumb nut 4 The upper end of each of the braces 6 isslotted as indicated at 6 such .slot

receiving a threaded stud carried by the movable member of the hinge 3;such stud carryarranged ing the thumb nut 4 whereby the braces may beheld in the desired position.

These combined members, comprising the adjustable and extensible bars 4and the braces 6, may be readily moved outwardly from the base on theirhinged connections with respect to the wall when it is desired to raisethe guide, as indicated by dotted lines, Fig. 3, and then returned toposition. The sectional bar 4 is extensible in order'that the partcarrying the projection 5 may be adjusted lengthwise of the wall toaccommodate itself to the different positions of the vertical joints ofthe respective Courses; The sections may be held by suitable thumbscrews or a screw stud with a thumb nut, as indicated at 4". It will benoted that projections 5 are carried at the inner side of the endsections of these extensible bars 4 and their upper portions providefiller members 5*, adj acent the pointed projections 5; the innersurface of such filler members being aligned with the inner faces of theWings 1 of the base memher.

For the purpose of carrying guide lines m paralleling the wall surfacesat right angles to each other the standard 2 carries a pair of reels 7supported by collars 8 which may be disposed at various heights on saidstandard and suitably held by set screws 8, or otherwise. These collarsare preferably guided on the standard and for this purpose the lattermay be grooved at Q and the collars provided with lugs 8 fitting saidgrooves. The reels may comprise drums 7 mounted on stems or arbors 7,such drums having internal shoulders 7, and springs 7 mounted on saidstems 7 serve to hold the reels against said shoulders. One of themembers, the end of the reel, for instance, may have a series ofperforations 7* set relatively closetogether and the other member, aportion of the collar 8, for instance, may have a pin 7 f to fit one ofsaid perforations; such arrangement serving to retain the drum in fixedposition after it has been turned to wind the guide line to the desiredtaut condition and then hold the same in such condition.

In addition, these collars 8 carry seats 9 for long aligning bars 10which are designed to lie against one wall at a corner while the otherwall is being built up. These bars 10 are to lie in exact parallelismwith the inner faces of the wings 1 of the base and they are of materiallength. Theyare of relatively small cross section, quite rigid and theirpivotally connected ends may be areuate as indicated at 10*" to fitcurved seats 9 in the collars 8. Each of these aligning bars may carry ascrew stem 1O passing through the wall of the projection on the collar 8which provides the seat, which is held by a suitable nut 10. Thesealigning bars may be ard 2 is tilted for any reason, the aligning bars10 may be disposed in horizontal position by reason of this pivotalarrangement. The collars 8 may be set at any height desired and it willbe understood that the upper surface of the aligning bars 10 is trulystraight and provides a proper guide for the leveling of brick courseson return toothed "corners.

In order that the guide may be set truly plumb and in proper position toperform its intended function, the upper end of the standardcarries adetachable cap member 12 supporting a pair of horizontally disposedlevel bulbs 18 truly'set at right angles to each other and normal to theperpendicular presented by the standard 2. The-carriers 13. for thesebulbs may be scaled andadjustable in their seats so that they may bebrought to proper horizontal position in case it becomes necessary toplace the standard 2 in an inclined position. Various conditions in therepair of old walls may make it desirable or necessary to incline suchstandard. The cap member 12 is removable to permit attachment andremoval of the collars 8, and it is provided with a lug 12 engaging thegroove 2 of the standard so that when replaced it will occupy thedesired angular position. It may be held in place by a set screw 12".

For the sake of lightness all of the parts may be of aluminum except,perhaps, the

bracing guides hinged to the wings 1 of the base.

In the use of my improved guiding instru- 'ment, four courses of brickand a level base are required before it may be placed in posi tion. Theinstrument is long (high) enough character that will permit striking upof the wall with the instrument in position, without any interference.Then while the bricklayers are backing up the face, the corner men canset the instrument in place for the next header in a very short periodof time.

WVith the use of the steel guides or aligning bars 10, return toothedcorners can be built from three and one half to four bricks long withoutleveling courses. The instrument can also be used in the construction oftapering walls or the repair thereof, and in chimney construction.Levels can be set to any degree per foot.

Scales indicating thicknesses of mortar joints, from ten inches for fourcourses to By keeping the lower collar 8 in a position two courses belowthe upper collar, it will relieve the strain on the standard when eitheror both of the lines m are stretched taut. By mounting the levels on thestandard and in full view of the bricklayer, he is enabled to noticevery quickly if any variation occurs in the position of the instrument.

My improved guide is simple in construction and mode of operation. Itsuse will enable the contractor to save time and expense, and the workmenwill be freed from all worriment in connection with keeping the cornersahead of the line.

I claim:

1. In a bricklayers guide, the combination of a base element having wingflanges at right angles to each other and adapted to embrace the cornerof a brick wall, supporting members hinged to said flanges; saidsupporting members having prongs adapted to enter joints between thebricks, a vertical standard supported by said base, and angularlyarranged adjustable connections between said supporting members and theupper portion of each of the wing flanges of said base element.

2. In a bricklayers guide, the combination of a base element having wingflanges at right angles to each other and adapted to embrace the cornerof a brick wall, a connecting web at the bottom of said flanges adaptedto engage the corner of a wall between br ck courses, horizontallydisposed supporting members hinged to said flanges; said supportingmembers having prongs adapted to enter joints between the bricks,angularly arranged adjustable connections pivotally attached to saidsupporting members and hinged to the upper portions of each of the wingflanges, a vertical standard supported by said base, independentlyadjustable collars carried by said standard, and ad ustable aligningbars detachably carried by said collars.

3. In a bricklayers guide, the combination of a base element, wingflanges formlng a part of said base element at right angles to eachother and adapted to embrace the corner of a brick wall, extensiblesupporting members hinged to the outer faces of said base element,prongs forming part of said supporting members adapted to enter jointsbetween the bricks, adjustable diagonal braces between said supportingmembers and the upper portions of each of the wing flanges of said baseelement, and hinged supports for the upper ends of said diagonal braces.

4. In a bricklayers guide, the combination of a base element having wingflanges at right angles to each other and adapted to embrace the cornerof a brick wall, supporting members hinged to said flanges; saidsupporting members including adjustable sections having prongs adaptedto enter the joints between the bricks, a vertical standard supported bysaid base, independently adjustable collars carried by said standard;said collars having arcuate seats therein, aligning bars detachablycarried by said collars,

and means for securing said aligning bars in said arcuate seats.

5. In a bricklayers guide, the combination of a base element having wingflanges at right angles to each other and adapted to embrace the cornerof a brick wall, supporting members hinged to said flanges; saidsupporting members having prongs adapted to enter the joints between thebricks, a vertical standard supported by said base, independentlyadjustable collars carried by said standard, arbors on said collar-sadapted to support guide line reels; said arbors being of such size withrelation to said reels that said reels may be moved longitudinallythereon, aligning bars detachably carried by said collars, adjustableand detachable leveling means supported by the upper end of saidstandard, and spring means for maintaining said guide line reels inadjusted position on said arbors.

6. A guide for bricklayers use, comprising a base with flanges at rightangles to each other, a narrow w'eb connecting the bottom of saidflanges, a vertical standard connected to said base, two sets ofadjustable supporting means for said base including diagonal bracesnormally disposed at right angles to each other, and hinged connectionscarried by said base for said supporting means and said diagonal braceswhereby said supporting means and diagonal braces may be swung towardand away from each other.

7. In a structure such as set forth in claim 6, a plurality of collarsvertically adjustable on the standard independently of each other andhaving arcuate seats, and an adjustable v aligning bar carried by eachof said collars said aligning bars being disposed in said seats at rightangles to each other, and securing means for saidaligning barspermitting adjustment in said seats for angular disposition in verticalplanes.

In witness whereof I have signed this specification.

HENRY A. GOLT.

